Sanitary support for toilet bowls



April 3 Q P. J. SPERZEL Re.'20,696

SANITARY SUPPORT FOR TOILET BOWLS Original Filed July 25, 1955.

Reissued Apr. 12, 1938 Re,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 20,696 SANITARY SUPPORT FOR TOILET BOWLSPeter J. Sperzel, Minneapolis, Minn.

Original No. 2,060,698, dated November 10, 1936, Serial No. 33,006, July25, 1935. Application for reissue June 19, 1937, Serial No. 149,263

12 Claims. (Cl. 4254) This invention relates to sanitary supports forblock-like portions iia and also received within use with toilet bowls.apertures extending through the forward end It is the general object ofthe invention to portions of the yoke ill. The under surfaces of providea novel and improved supporting device the block-like portions iia ofthe balancers are of cheap and simple construction, which can bechanneled, as best shown in Fig. 3, and they have used on toilet bowlsto support the user in such glued or vulcanized to these channeledportions manner that the danger from infection and dischannel-shapedpads of resilient material, such ease is reduced to the minimum. asrubber. The channels of the pads i are of The objects and advantages ofthe invention such size as to receive the top portions of the u willmore fully appear from. the following debowl 1 immediately below thebalancers. Intescription, made in connection with the accomgrally formedwith the block-like portions iia panying drawing, wherein like referencecharacof the balancers ii and joining these block-like ters refer to thesame or similar parts throughout portions at their upper ends arekidney-shaped the various views, and, in which, ledges iib formingopposite supports and the Fig. 1 is a plan view of a water closet bowlsole supports for persons using the bowl I.

equipped with a supporting device of the inven- The ledges lib are flatsurfaces, terminatin tion; at their edges in rounded portions and theyex- Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the suptend inwardly shortdistances from the blockporting device and the upper part of the bowllike portions iia. These ledges are disposed well 0 shown in Fig. 1;above the top of the bowl 1 and the upper sur- Fig. 3 is a verticalsection taken on the line faces of the ledges preferably inclinedownwardly 3-3 of Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrows; somewhat towardthe center of the bowl from the Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken onthe line horizontal. 4-4 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows; Thebalancers shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 will Fig. 5 is a partial plan viewlooking down on preferably be. made of metal, reinforced hard a bowlhaving applied thereto a supporting derubber, composition material orother material vice equipped with a slightly modified type of havingsurfaces which can be highly polished to balancer, and be easilysterilized and cleaned.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line In the form of the deviceshown in Figs. 5 and 0 5-6 of Fig. 5, as indicated by the arrows. 6,balancers i2 are shown which include block- Referring to the drawing,there is illustrated like portions i2a receiving the ends of the yoke atoilet bowl 1 of the ordinary water closet type, i0 and secured to theend portions of the yokes This bowl has a rear portion 1a into which aby pins i4. These block-like portions i2a. are

water pipe 8 runs. In accordance with the preschanneled like theportions iia of the previously ent invention there is substituted forthe usual described construction to receive channel-shaped 3 toilet seatand toilet seat cover a supporting resilient pads i6 similar to the padsi5. Formed device including hinge bracket 9, yoke i0 and integral withand secured to the upper parts of balancers ii, as shown in Figs. 1, 2and 3, or the block-like portions i2a are ledges i2b covbalancers i2, asshown in Figs. 5 and 6. ered as by a covering i2c of hard rubber or com-The hinge bracket 9 may consist of a flat plate position material gluedor vulcanized to the 40 having apertured ears secured as by bolts iii toledges. The ledges iZb are of substantially arouthe rear portion la ofthe toilet bowl. The forate-shape, as shown, and preferably projectforward central portion of the hinge bracket 9 is wardly relative to thebowl 1 beyond the position curled upwardly to form a cylindrical eyewiththat the ledges lib of the balancers ii occupy.

in which a straight central portion of the yoke iii The ledges I21) andcoverings i2c may be shaped 45 is journaled. The yoke iii may consist ofmerely as shown in Fig. 6, in cross section, so as to afford a rod bentto U-shape and overlying the top of comfortable supports for the user.the bowl 'i. The two ends of the U-shaped yoke When the supportingdevice is in use, the body preferably project forwardly to pointsslightly of the person occupying the supporting device beyond thecentral portion of the bowl. will be supported solely by the balancersso that 50 Balancers ii include block-like portions Ila in the case ofuse of the balancers ii, only the having apertures in their lowerportions through ledges lib of the two opposite balancers. will whichthe forward ends of the yoke i0 extend, contact the persons body and noportions of the the balancers being secured to the. yoke by cross bowl Ican come in contact with the persons pins i4 received within suitableapertures in the body. In the case of the use of balancers i2, 55

only coverings [2c of the balancers can come in contact with the personsbody. As these parts Ill) and l2c may be readily sterilized and cleaned,the supporting device can be kept in clean, sanitary condition at alltimes, so that the danger of communication of infection and disease tothe person using the supporting device is held at the minimum.

Of course, the yoke l0 together with the balancer connected thereto maybe swung upwardly so that the yoke, under parts of the balancers and thetop of the bowl I can be easily cleaned and sterilized. If desired, theyoke Ill may be equipped with shoulders I M at either side of the hingeplate 9 to prevent the possibility of lateral shifting movement of theyoke relative to the hinge plate. The pads l5 or l6 will, of course,absorb any shock imparted to the bowl 1 when the supporting device islowered.

Use of the supporting device of the present invention eliminates the useof the common infection and disease spreading annular or partiallyannular toilet seat in common use today and eliminates the need for abackrest or cover. The two balancers used are so located that thepersons body is comfortably balanced fore and aft so that the body isstably supported. Although the supporting device is particularly adaptedfor use in washrooms, it is also admirably adapted for home use. It willbe seen that the device is of cheap and simple construction.

It will, ofcourse, be understood that various changes may be made in theform, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention, which, generallystated, consists of the matter shown and described and set forth in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A supporting device to be mounted on a toilet bowl, said devicecomprising a U-shaped yoke adapted to be hinged to the rear part of abowl and to normally overlie the top of the bowl and a pair of separateopposed balancers secured to the end portions of said yoke, saidbalancers having relatively shorter channeled under portions adapted toreceive therein parts of the top of the bowl to prevent lateral shiftingmovement of the balancers, said balancers including ledges adapted to benormally spaced well above the top of a bowl and disposed over but asmall portion of the top surface of a bowl and forming substantially thesole supports for a person using the bowl.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and resilient pads received withinsaid channels between the top of a bowl and said balancers toresiliently support said balancers on a bowl.

3. Means constituting the main support for a person when using a toiletbowl, comprising a pair of opposed individual ledges having relativelysmall vertical thickness and a relatively small top surface area,block-like portions of lesser length than said ledges, of substantialheight and lesser cross sectional area than the top surface area of theledges below them and adapted to rest on the upper edge of a toilet bowland a yoke of substantially circular cross section connecting saidblock-like portions.

4. Means constituting the main support for a person when using a toiletbowl, comprising a yoke of substantially U-shape adapted to be hinged tothe rear part of a bowl at the top thereof, a pair of relatively shortblock-like supports of appreciable height into which the ends of theyoke extend, the under surfaces of said supports being channeled toadapt them for interfitting engagement with the top portions of a bowland a pair of ledges of generally kidney shaped contour on therespective block-like supports adapted to be positioned a substantialdistance above the top edge of a bowl by said supports, said ledgescovering a relatively small portion only of the top edge.

5. Means adapted to constitute the main support for a person using atoilet bowl, comprising a pair of separate ledges of relatively smalland generally oval surface contour, supporting-blocks below therespective ledges of lesser cross sectional area and having relativelysmall-area contact surfaces adapted to engage the upper edge of a toiletbowl and a yoke adapted to be hingedly secured at its mid portion to atoilet bowl and having end portions interfitting with the-supportingblocks to preclude the ledges longitudinally of the bowl.

6. Means adapted to constitute the main support for a person when usinga toilet bowl, comprising a pair of ledges having a small surface areacompared to that of the top surface of the bowl, supports beneath therespective ledges of still smaller area but having an appreciable heightto raise the top surface of the ledges a substantial distance above theupper edge of a toilet bowl, said ledges overhanging the supportsinwardly of a toilet bowl and a yoke having its end portions onlyinterfitting with the respective supports.

7. Means adapted to constitute the main support for a person when usinga toilet bowl, comprising a pair of opposed relatively short separatebalancers of substantially T-shape longitudinally of a bowl, resilientpads having interfitting engagement with the bottom ends of saidbalancers and adapted to engage the upper edge of a toilet bowl and ayoke connecting said balancers and having a straight central portionadapted to constitute part of a hinge for mounting said means on atoilet bowl.

8. Means adapted to constitute the main support for a person when usinga toilet bowl, comprising relatively short individual ledges ofgenerally oval contour and shorter relatively tall supports therebeneathadapted to engage the upper edge of a toilet bowl, a yoke ofsubstantially U-shape adapted to be hingedly supported on a toilet bowland having end portions interfitting with the supports adapted toprevent tilting movement of the ledges longitudinally of a bowl andmeans in the supports engaging the respective supports and end portionsof the yoke to hold the supports on the yoke and to prevent transversetilting movement of the ledges on the yoke and on the bowl.

9. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the yoke has a hinge.thereon at its mid-portion for pivotal mounting on a toilet bowl, theyoke having additional means cooperating with the hinge to preventlateral shifting of the yoke relatively to the hinge.

10. Means adapted to constitute the main support for a person when usinga toilet bowl, comprising separate relatively short ledges and shortersupports of appreciable height therebeneath adapted to engage the upperedge of a toilet bowl, a yoke of substantially U-shape adapted to behingedly supported on a toilet bowl and having end portions interfittingwith the supports adapted to prevent tilting movement of the ledgeslongitudinally of a bowl and cross pins in the suptilting movement ofports extending into the end portions of the yoke to hold the supportson the yoke and to prevent transverse tilting movement of the ledges onthe yoke and on the bowl.

11. Means constituting the main support for a person using a toiletbowl, comprising a pair of relatively short separate opposed ledges,shorter block-like portions on the underside of the respective ledgesadapted to rest on the upper edge of a toilet bowl, each block-likeportion being of substantial height to raise the ledges an appreciabledistance above the upper edge of a bowl, the upper person-engagingsurface of the several ledges comprising a covering of a composition 5material and the bottom surface of the respective PETER J. SPERZEL.

